The Secret Of Charming Eyes

The main part of every portrait is eyes. If eyes are out of focus or not stressed, such portrait is not able to reveal one's inner world. Let's see what special features eyes' photographing demands.

1. Eye blinks. The first thing you should know is that the most natural blink in man's eyes is only one blink in the upper corner of an eye. We got used to such position because our usual light source is the sun shining from above.

incorrect photo: two blinks in one eye, blurred eyes, staring out of place

The blink that is seen in another spot of the eye or several blinks are perceived unnatural. The exception is the reflection of a big soft box or a window that adds an effect of humidity to eyes and makes them more "alive".

2. Emotions. Our eyes are meant to express our emotions and then mimics and gestures help them. Sometimes only eyes' expression may be enough to show a deep emotion.

emotions

3. How to make eyes bigger visually. Big eyes always attract our attention, so you can ask your model to look up, it will make her eyes bigger visually. But don't be carried away with staring eyes, it won't look like big eyes but only staring. Though sometimes it can be a nice trick: everything depends on a model's appearance.

looking up makes an effect of big eyes

4. How to stress eyes. In order to accent model's eyes it's enough to hide other parts of her face with hair. You can also use different things or accessories to cut off unnecessary parts of a shot. One more way is to ask your model to wink.

stressing eyes with cutting off unnecessary parts

5. How to make mysterious eyes:

• hide the eyes with hair
• hide the eyes with transparent fabric (silk or other)
• make "a tunnel effect". Illuminate hair and hide eyes in the shadow

6. How to show eyelashes' length and eye color. You should photograph a model diagonally and with backlighting (backlighted photo). It means the eyelashes should be in the light or dark (if the eyelashes are light-colored) background. In order to accent eye color use linear lighting to illuminate the eye from "inside".

both eye color and length of eyelashes stressed with natural light source

7. How to stress eyes in Photoshop. In order to intensify the image use Pencil Tool to change the shape of the pupil. Sometimes it also makes sense to lighten the white of an eye with Dodge Tool. It's always necessary to use Sharpen Tool but beware of overusing it.

And remember - these are only 7 tips that can help you and make you start trying, but your practice and imagination are the main tools to photograph the greatest shot!

We hope these tricks will help you to win in our Photo Contest!